What kind of lawyer do you want?

When a client calls me and asks, "How much?", I immediately know that is not the correct client for me. Don't get me wrong. Of course, I am not the cheapest lawyer in town, but neither am I the most expensive. That is not the reason I conclude the client is not for me. The reason is because the client probably has (or thinks that he/she has) a case which requires only standard work. There is no dispute. There is no hiccup. Only some documentation to undergo. Routine stuff- fill up the forms, attend Court, and voila.

However, when the case involves a substantial dispute, "how much" would rarely be the first question on the client's mind. Oh yes, the question would eventually be asked, but not at the start. From the start, the client first wants to determine whether the lawyer is the suitable candidate to undertake the case.

It is here that the client needs to ask, "what kind of lawyer" does he/she want? Mind you, just because you have a disputed case does not mean you necessarily want to engage a pitbull. A pitbull may charge all the time, but it could very well be creating much unnecessary collateral damage in the process.

There is so much more to lawyering than pit-bulling. A lawyer could be a principled defender- one who would vigorously defend your interest but only in a principled manner. Another lawyer could be a skilled negotiator- always able to broker a win-win situation out of any position. Yet another could be good with technicalities- tying up everybody in countless technical manouvres if that is what's required. Yet another can be a charismatic influencer- able to win his way by sheer charm.

Is any one type of lawyer the "right" type? Not at all. It depends on how well the lawyer's personality suits yours, and your particular case. So, what kind of lawyer do you want? Perhaps you should first ask, what kind of person you in fact are.

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Have thoughts on the above topic? Email me at khenghoe@mycounsel.com.my.